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Liveaboard Diving in Koh Bon

What To Expect On A Koh Bon Liveaboard

Liveaboards to Koh Bon take divers to this remote uninhabited limestone island in the shape of a horseshoe to the north of Similan Island no.9. As with Koh Tachai it is within speedboat distance of Khao Lak but unlike it, there are no beaches here so water entry is strictly from the boat only. This isolated island in the middle of the Andaman Sea is covered with forests and plants and poorly sheltered from the elements in bad weather. Koh Bon Ridge and Koh Bon Pinnacle are considered two of the best dive sites in Thailand. The marine life here is abundant and there is a manta ray cleaning station so high probability of seeing these majestic creatures. Not as popular a dive site as its surrounding partners in the Andaman Sea, it means this site can be a wonderfully quiet one to dive, a refreshing change in the busy season of April - May. Koh Bon offers a beautiful selection of marine life and dived responsibly is a great destination on your liveaboard journey.

What You Can See

The underwater terrain of Koh Bon Ridge, on the southwestern corner, starts with a ridge that drops off to depths of up to 45m. A significant vertical drop, the wall here is covered in zigzag clams, anemones and soft corals, notice their variation and changing spectrum of colors the deeper you go. The wall is worth investigating closely for critters and makes a good first deep dive. Its bay is quite sheltered and with minimal current provides a good spot for night dives also. The western side of the ridge is covered in strikingly beautiful coral formations and sea fans of different shapes and sizes and slopes down gently. These coral formations provide shelter for a varied marine life. On your liveaboard dive cruise, it is common to see resting Leopard Sharks or nurse sharks on the sandy bottom as well as the common morays, triggerfish, lionfish, and sweetlips. The banded sea snake, octopus, batfish and mantis shrimp, pipefish, and the rare frogfish are exciting additions to these waters, albeit what all divers aim to witness is the gentle gliding of the Manta Ray, here to feed and be cleaned. A dive can sometimes just involve hanging around in one spot while these curious black and white majestic beings circle and hover over you, enjoying your bubbles, demonstrating the perfect buoyancy, and then showing off their acrobatic skills.

Koh Bon Pinnacle, to the west, is more exposed, suitable for the experienced diver, and suggested only in good conditions. With depths of 18-40m, the pinnacles jet out to around 25m high. With a mountainous look and feel, this small site is definitely far from boring. The reef's sloping wall is covered in yellow soft coral, hiding decorator crabs, moray eels, and their cleaner shrimps and shrimp-gobies peering out of the holes. Look into the blue for passing eagle rays, blacktip reef sharks or manta rays. The currents can be strong here and may attract Manta Rays as well.

Getting There

The best way to get to Koh Bon is on a Thailand liveaboard trip to the Surin Islands, which will depart from either Phuket or Khao Lak. Further from Phuket than from Khao Lak, (200 km north of Phuket and 80 km northwest of Khao Lak), it is worth checking what port you prefer to depart from. Khao Lak is about 100km north of Phuket and can be reached overland. Please check your itinerary before purchasing flight tickets. There are international flights into Phuket and/or domestic flights from Bangkok to Phuket. As part of the Similan Islands, the area is closed between the months of May to October.

Koh Bon Diving Reviews

9.2 Superb
57 Verified Reviews

9.6 Exceptional
David G
United States

Amazing, could see so many fish and awesome coral.

Diving Koh Bon in December on the Dolphin Queen

9.6 Exceptional
Taylor L
United States

No mantas at Koh Bon this time but marine life was still exceptional

Diving Koh Bon in March on the Camic

10.0 Exceptional
Janice R
United States

Beautiful coral gardens with excellent visibility

Diving Koh Bon in January on the Hallelujah

6.8 Review score
Jeffery C
United States

Poor viz, 3 dives and no sighting of the legendary manta ray

Diving Koh Bon in December on the Camic

10.0 Exceptional
Ian T
United Kingdom

Good, stay at the top of the pinical it's stunning

Diving Koh Bon in January on the Similan Explorer

8.8 Fabulous
Maillard J
France

Nice, there we saw the Manta ray!

Diving Koh Bon in February on the Dolphin Queen

8.0 Very good
Maria Tereza C
Brazil

Very good. Good visivility. In the last dive there most of the divers saw a manta ray.

Diving Koh Bon in February on the Hallelujah Liveaboard

9.6 Exceptional
JAYEON C
South Korea

Clear view, amazing big size of aquatic life

Diving Koh Bon in February on the The Junk

10.0 Exceptional
THIERRY L
France

Excellent! 1 dive at Koh Bon

Diving Koh Bon in February on the The Junk

8.8 Fabulous
pablo E
Chile

Best noght dive was in koh bon

Diving Koh Bon in February on the Similan Explorer

7.6 Good
Juliane H
Austria

Fish swarms. Though a little bit worse visibility than the days before, great dive.

Diving Koh Bon in March on the Dolphin Queen

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Liveaboard Diving in Koh Bon

What To Expect On A Koh Bon Liveaboard

What You Can See

Getting There

Koh Bon Diving Reviews

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